Golden Silver
by Ashyx
Summary: SEQUEL to Jade and Ruzac: The EverWeeping Rider. Summary: Ruzac decides to travel to a small, poor village in search of the rider for one of the dragon eggs. Once he gets there, he recieves quite a shock. Waii such a bad sumary and title.rated T tobe safe
1. Setting out to Altair

**3 SEQUEL!! Very exciting...By the way – this is set a few years (2 to be exact) after the first story :p just to let you know**

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"I'm telling you, I can't find him _anywhere_!" a brunette in her early-20's and dressed in a dark-green skirt, cream shirt, light-green vest and a homespun, green cloak explained exasperatedly to a man in his mid-30's.

"He's probably visiting _her_," he replied, running a hand through his light-brown hair and sighing.

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_So, it's the second anniversary_, the dark-haired teenager (who was about 18) clad fully in black and dark-blue clothing thought in his mind as he crouched next to a silver tombstone,_ Ane_.

A fresh bouquet of roses, their petals colored silver by magic, was set in front of the grave. Ruzac's black eyes, now adorned by two vertical, darkened scars going from the top of his eyes and down his cheeks, were softened considerably from the newer, cold looks he usually gave everyone as he gazed fondly at the shiny gravestone. Ane's grave was atop the grassiest hill in Farthen Dur, where she could look over all the houses and most of the land around them. Ruzac, with the help of Winix, had chosen the spot.

"Ruzac," he heard his brother come up behind him, "there you are. Come on, we need to talk about where you're going with the egg next."

With an icy glare set into his eyes, the rider stood up, smoothing down his rumpled black cloak and dark-blue shirt. Every month, Ruzac would take a dragon egg from the dragon egg stores he, Ane, the traitor Terrwin and his innocent apprentice Erran (Ruzac had no idea where he had gone off to) had protected from the Empire.

Ruzac rode with Jake on Slate, his brother's dragon, back to the lone house that was built into a high, steep cliff with a large overhang acting as a front yard. He lived alone – Ruzac did, that is – ever since Ane had died and only left his abode if the leader of the Varden - Nasuada - or someone important needed to talk to him. Usually he only allowed Jake and Celia into his house. Jade watched from his roost on an outcropping that jutted out above the 2-story dwelling.

"There's a place about 100 miles from here," Celia said, spreading a map out across a stone slab that was used as and outside table in front of Ruzac's house, "it's a very poor place but I think you'll be able to find someone there."

"Money doesn't affect whether or not someone will be a rider," he reminded her, knowing she was doubtful because of the village's wealth.

"I know," she said hurriedly, "it wasn't like I was doubting it or anything," Ruzac snorted at that.

"Right…exactly where is it?" he asked.

"It's here," Jake decided to add to the conversation.

The older of the two brothers pointed to as minute dot on the map that was surrounded by a forest to the east and south and a huge expanse of an unknown desert to the west. Ruzac studied the terrain between Farthen Dur and the town, noticing it was mostly plains which gradually grew into the forest.

"So it would probably take me two days to get there if Jade and I flew, a week or maybe less to find a new rider – if there is one – and then give three days for a messenger dove to get here if I find the kid," Ruzac planned out how long it would take him to get there, "Alright, I'll get going then."

"Wait – now?" Celia asked surprised.

"Of course _now_," the boy sighed, going into the house and coming back out minutes later, a large pack, bedroll and both his and Ane's swords – Sh'kon and Angele – strapped to either sides of his belt.

_Jade, time to go_, he called the amethyst-scaled dragon with his mind.

_Should we bring the horse?_ Jade asked, meaning Night, Ruzac's steed.

_You mean Night? No, I'll send a message if I find a kid and the Varden can bring him to me_, the rider had his actions planned and was reluctant to change them.

_Very well_, the dragon replied and Ruzac crawled up into the saddle.

"Have a safe flight," Celia said cheerfully and both she and Jake heaved themselves up into their dragon's saddles.

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_We're free!_ Jade growled amusedly as he soared over the rim of the huge mountain.

_Yes, but we have a job so let's get going_, Ruzac urged his companion in the direction of the town.

_So, what's the town's name?_

_It's called Altair; a very small town_, Ruzac replied and the flight continued in silence, only broken when the rider gave his dragon directions towards the small village.

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During the second day, Ruzac frequently kept his eyes out for the tiny settlement, but didn't catch sight of it until dusk settled in.

_Should we keep flying? It's getting dark_, Jade asked, having landed.

_Let's go on foot – it will seem less threatening_, his rider suggested and slipped out of the saddle, cradling a thick brown sack I his arms.

It was around nine o'clock at night by the time Ruzac arrived at the desolate town. Straw-roofed huts set on cabin-like structures stood side-by-side in small clusters. The area of the place was so small that the boy could walk from one end of it to the next in less than fifteen minutes.

Walking up to an inn, named the Dragon's Horn, Ruzac pushed open the door to see a full bar and at least five men swaggering drunkenly around the large room.

"I'd like to rent a room," he said, pushing ten crowns onto the bar's surface, he hated staying in public taverns but he would seem less suspicious if he rented a room.

"It's fifteen crowns a room," the man behind the bar growled, but Ruzac knew he was lying and just trying to get money.

"_Look_ you filthy imbecile," Ruzac hissed, restraining himself from grabbing the man by the front of his shirt, "I've had a _long_, two-day flight over here so don't try forcing any money out of me."

"F-flew?"

The rider ignored him and instead dismissed himself with a sweep of his cloak's hems. He held the bundle containing the auburn egg protectively as he made his way down the narrow, dirty-looking halls.

"Ugh," he muttered scornfully at the rickety bed and termite-eaten bedside table, "disgusting, I'm not staying here." _Jade, I'll meet you in the forest_, and he crawled out the window – lucky he got one on the first floor of the two-story inn.

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_Such an annoying place that inn was_, Ruzac growled, half-saying it to Jade as he walked down a shaded alley and cutting through town towards the dense forest that grew next to it. He had pulled the hood of his cloak up to hide his face from unwanted eyes – he was now very popular as the man who defeated lord Galbatorix, and it was easy to tell with the scars he had over his eyes.

He took a moment to look up at the clear sky – seeing many constellations. Seeing one shaped like a heart, he decided to name it.

_I'm not sure if you already have a name_, he said in his mind to the star,_ but I'll give you one anyways. Ane-_

He froze his thoughts when he felt the pouch that was always tied to his side be cut off. There went the special energy-storing stone Celia gave him, a few pieces of paper and some dried fruits. Oh yes, _every_ pickpocket wanted _that_.

_Let's see who the little thief is, shall we?_ He thought sneeringly to himself and turned to see a small girl with long, golden hair and golden-brown eyes look frighteningly back as she duck behind the wall of another alley.

_She won't get far, it's a dead-end_, and the rider smirked.

"Ok, I know pick pocketing is fun and you get all sorts of treats when you do but _hand it ov-_"he stopped as he was interrupted for a second time that night.

The bag holding the dragon egg began to move a bit and a _chink_-ing sound could be heard.

Was it hatching? This girl-no! She couldn't be, could she?

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**Good? Bad? Totally rocks? Totally sucks? No comment? I love reviews!**

**So, was this an ok starter chapter? I know it's short but it has to be that way in order for this story to work **


	2. The missing Gedwey Ignasia

**Chapter twoooooo Soo cool…I actually have a plot for this story right now – in the last one I made it up as I went **

**By the way – this chapter took soooo long because my computer crashed….and we had to take it to the computer-fixers XD (it stayed there for 4 DAYS!)**

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"Girl, come here," Ruzac instructed to the wide-eyed girl, he noticed her fear, "I'm not going to harm you, I promise."

She cautiously stepped forward, keeping her eyes trained on Ruzac's hands in case he decided to hit her or hurt her in any way. Tawny eyes widened in disbelief when the rider took the large bronze egg from the sack he held.

"Girl, this is a dragon egg, and I would like you to have it," Ruzac's frown turned into a slight smile when the girl nearly fainted with shock, "but, only if you agree to be trained as my own apprentice."

The girl seemed to be processing what she had heard in her mind.

"Mister? What's your name?" she asked curiously as she held the dragon egg that had started to crack.

The stranger (to her) stood in front of her; the black cloak's hood was pulled up over his head, shadowing all his features from sight.

"I?"

He reached up and pulled the hood down to reveal unruly black hair. But the things that caught the girl's attention were two blackened, vertical scars going from his eyebrows and down his cheeks.

"I am Ruzac," he replied, and watched in complete and utter surprise as the girl unexpectedly grabbed him around the middle in a crushing hug.

"Y-you're the one who saved us from Galbatorix!" she sobbed, suffocating the dark-haired rider.

"I had a lot of help," Ruzac tried to brush it off, and decided to change the subject, "Girl, what is your name?"

"Sirena," (SYE-ren-uh) she replied, letting go of him and straightening back up.

"Sirena," he placed a hand on her shoulder and waited a few moments, eyes closed. When he opened them again he spoke, "you are an orphan, are you not? I can sense your energies and there is much loneliness and an empty space in your heart."

"H-how?"

"I know because I have also lost someone dear to me," Ruzac traced his fingers along the grooves of Angele's hilt, "And I promised her that I would find the new riders and ensure no one evil like Galbatorix will ever come to this land again. That is why I would like to take you in as my apprentice."

"Y-you mean…," Sirena whispered, "I'm a…a rider?"

"Once that egg hatches and you have gone through the pre-training every one of the destined riders must undergo, you will be," Ruzac said fondly to the small girl and led her away back to the forest where Jade awaited his return.

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"Woooooow!! It's…it's…it's…!!" Sirena squealed when she saw the plum-scaled dragon crouching in a small clearing near a convenient, large gap in a mountainous pile of boulders.

_Jade_, he replied, amused by the girl's fascination.

"He can talk in our heads!" Sirena yelled in amazement, "Can you breathe fire?"

"For ten minutes straight," Ruzac grinned at his reptilian companion.

"Wow!!!! So are we going to travel a lot?" the girl asked, jumping up and down in excitement.

"We will whenever the egg hatches," Ruzac said, leader her into the cave and taking out his bedroll and an extra blanket, "but first we need to get some rest."

He handed Sirena the warmer, much cozier bedroll and kept the thinner blanket for himself. Sirena lay down on the stone floor while Ruzac crawled nearer to the mouth of the cave where Jade was keeping watch.

_So, she's the one_, Jade stated, it wasn't exactly a question.

_Unless she has enough power to crack a dragon egg, yes, she is_, the rider closed his eyes and leaned against the rocky wall, taking out a piece of paper and writing a note to Jake and Celia.

_What are you writing?_ The green dragon asked with much curiosity.

_I need Night_, Ruzac said, he would need his horse if they were most likely going to be traveling.

_Hmm…well, goodnight, Ruzac-ono_, the dragon said teasingly.

_Start calling me that and you'll be missing your tail_, his friend growled sleepily,_ It makes me feel like an old man._

_But you know, you **are** 197-_

_Just **go** to **sleep**_, Ruzac mumbled and drifted off into the world of slumber.

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"Ruzac Ruzac RUZAAAAAAC!!!!!!!"

_Jade I'm trying to **SLEEP!!!!!!!**_ The rider roared in his head.

_It's not me_, Jade's voice came across the link,_ by the way, we have visitors._

_Then who…? Aaauuugh…don't tell me she's…who's here?_ "What…?" he said weakly.

"Hey, Ruzac, are you up?" Sirena asked excitedly, way too bouncy for the time of the day.

"Sirena," he growled, "the sun. Is barely. _Up_."

Growling didn't have an effect on the girl; instead she became more hyper and bubbly.

"Isn't it a known saying that birds rise with the sun? And dragons can fly like birds and riders are kinda _connected_ to their dragons so doesn't that mean that they wake up once the sun comes up? Hmm? Right, right? OH!!! And RUZAC!!! THEEGGHATCHEDSOIREALLYWANTYOUTOSEEIT!!!" she babbled at the speed of light, leaving her mentor to blink stupidly and try to piece together what she said, "Plus there are these two people here and I don't know who they are."

Black eyes snapped wide open, hoping there was no danger, but Ruzac relaxed when he saw three of his most trusted companions.

"Jake? Celia? How did you get here so fast?" Ruzac asked, getting up to greet them, "I thought it would take at least three days for you to bring Night this far."

"Slate's a fast flier," Jake said proudly and Ruzac noticed Slate and Onyx were asleep behind them, "And Onyx is great at navigation – he found you really fast."

"You still haven't answered your _pupil_'s questions," Celia reminded him and Ruzac sighed and turned to Sirena.

"First of all, dragons _aren't birds_," Jade nodded at this, "Second, yes, we are "connected" as you say but that doesn't mean that I have to wake up at the same time as Jade," _Lastly_! _Don't wake me up before the sun is barely in the sky!_ he hissed out the last part in her head, but then his brain remembered the very last thing Sirena said, slowed it down and re-played it, "Wait a minute…did you just say that the egg hatched?"

Sirena smiled widely, "Yeah!! Come see!!"

She grabbed the older person's hand and dragged him over to Jade's side. The minute he looked at what was supposed to be the hatchling, Ruzac's eyes were rudely blinded by a flash of golden-bronze light.

"Ruzac, meet Raida," (ray-duh) Sirena beamed, picking up the shiny hatchling.

_It's gold_, Ruzac confirmed to Jade.

_So it is,_ Jade replied.

_When did she hatch?_ he asked.

_Barely half an hour ago_, Jade told him, _Sirena was actually in shock up until now, really. _

_Soo…does she have the gedwey ignasia yet?_ Jade was silent,_ Great…_

"Sirena," Ruzac beckoned the girl to come over along with her dragon, "come here a second."

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Tell me, Sirena, can you talk to Raida – mentally, I mean," Ruzac asked.

"Ummm…how do you do that?" the girl asked.

"Alright," he sighed, "Sirena, let me see your hand."

She showed Ruzac both of her palms but he could not see the gedwey ignasia anywhere. Closing his eyes, for a headache was making its way towards his brain, the rider attempted to contact the small dragon.

Except he couldn't.

Pushing his mind as hard as he could against the little dragon's mind barriers didn't work. Somehow the small creature had a rock-solid defense system around its mind.

"Sirena, why don't you…pet Raida," Ruzac said with a fake, cheery tone, and got ready to plug his ears once Sirena got the Gedwey Ignasia. Gods knew that it hurt more than being struck with a sword.

The girl placed her hand on Raida's head and stroked her back. She continued for ten minutes straight until Ruzac couldn't figure out why she hadn't gotten the "shining palm" yet. He thought over some possibilities. Maybe Raida didn't have the magical powers that all the other dragons had? No, that probably wasn't it. What if she changed her mind and didn't want Sirena as her rider anymore? That _could_ be it since Sirena (if Jade told the truth) was in shock for about thirty minutes and didn't try to contact Raida or anything. Or maybe, just _maybe_ someone had been near them in the village and Raida had wanted that person to be her partner?

Growling in confusion, Ruzac couldn't decide which was more accurate so he stood up to test out his "Raida hatching for someone else" theory.

"We're going back into the village," he announced, "Sirena, bring Raida with you."

"Don't you think that's a dangerous idea?" Jake asked.

"What if she gets lost?" the girl asked.

"Ruzac, I think you should re-consider that," Celia stated.

"She won't get lost," Ruzac replied and grabbed Nights reins, "Sirena, come here."

The girl did as she was told and Ruzac swept her up onto the black horse's dark-leather saddle. She was immediately sidetracked in fiddling with the silver hooks and buckles that would keep sacks and blankets in place if they needed to. Ruzac watched this, wondering if she'd ever ridden a horse before, and made it a point to ask her and teach her how to ride if she didn't know. His eyes looked sideways at Raida who was lolloping over to him and he picked up the golden hatchling right when she sat down at his feet.

"Stay up here, ok?" he said and set Raida in the saddle in front of Sirena.

"Hey, we'll stay here with Jade in case someone comes by, alright?" Jake said and Ruzac nodded to his brother in agreement.

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"Well will you look at this," a young boy sneered from his place behind a water-filled scrying bowl, "Ruzac's found another little rider. What do you think, Frost, should we give them a nice welcome?"

A skinny – but naturally so – frosty-light-blue dragon nodded his head; his dark-blue eyes were kept on the image in the water. He and his rider were standing in a large room that was part of an old abandoned mansion-like house that they had found not far from the village. His rider released his hold on the scrying-magic and ran a hand through his (somehow it was natural) slightly-spiked blue hair.

"Then let's go," he said and opened the wide doors of the building that led outside, "It's about time I paid my old master a visit."

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**So there's chapter 2 – holy hazelnuts it took a really long time!!! I though I was much farther in the story than this (I'm sorry!!!)!!!! Eh, see? See? I _told_ you, CarmelBoost (once known as daydreamin' angel)! Someone you knew would come into the story! XD Frost had made his appearance!**


	3. Bargaining

**I willed myself to write this chapter while talking to my good friend CarmelBoost on MSN this morning. Sorry, but it's gonna be short because there's an essay I've got to write (It has to be at LEAST 5 pages)**

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"So, let's see…" Ruzac scanned the rows of buildings until he spotted his destination, "Aha, there it is."

He grabbed Night's black-leather reins, leading the dark horse towards the local stable. Sirena and Raida were both still riding atop the black equestrian until Ruzac motioned for them to get off.

A bell jingled softly as Ruzac swept into the stable. His black eyes looked around at the glossy coats of the well-bred stallions and mares that stood silently in their stalls. At the back of the place, amid stacks of hay and riding tack, there was a man trimming the mane of an old, red-roan warhorse. He spotted the small group and turned to greet them.

"Hey there, what'cha be needin'?" he asked, brushing a few stray flame-colored hairs from his slightly-tattered, black apron, "M' name's Joel," he held out his hand.

Ruzac outstretched his own hand and shook Joel's in greeting, "I'm Cazur, and this is Sirena, my sister. We need a good horse – a thoroughbred or an animal with good endurance."

"Travelin' type, are ya?" Joel asked and grinned at him, "Used t' travel back in m' younger days. But ol' Fireburst here ain't as young as he used t' be. What kind o' horse is y're ol' blackie there?"

"He's a hybrid. Half Arabian, half Mustang," Ruzac patted Night on the shoulder, "What kind of horses do you have in here?"

"Hybrid, eh? Well, we only got us s'm purebreds in these here stalls," the horse breeder gazed fondly at the horses, "There's ridin' horses, work horses, show horses, racin' horses, breedin' horses, all manner o' horses."

"That's great, then, so how much would that speckled fellow over there cost?" Ruzac asked as he rubbed his mind against the horses. The stallion immediately trusted him and they exchanged pleasantries before Ruzac snapped back to attention.

"Ah, that's Coaly; he ain't worth nuthin' 'cuz no one'll buy 'im since I don't know where he came from – a trader from Surda came 'ere a few months ago an' dropped 'im off," Joel shrugged and stroked the silver-with-black-speckles stallion's white mane.

"I'll give you a hundred crowns."

"Two hundred," Joel fixed a squint on Ruzac's face.

"One hundred fifty," the rider growled.

"One hundred an' ninety."

"One hundred seventy," Ruzac set an icy-cold stare on Joel.

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"How do you _do_ that, Ruzac?" Sirena asked in wonder as she rode alongside Ruzac on Coaly.

"It's just word games," he replied, "you learn how to use them pretty well once you've lived for about two hund- I mean, twenty years."

_You actually slipped up. That's not something my old master used to do_, a sneer made its way into his mind.

_Leave Ruzac alone, brat,_ Jake's voice joined the silent conversation,_ Hey, Ruzac, you might want to come back. You have a visitor…_

Oh no…there was only one person, and one person only, that Jake would call "brat".

Ruzac sighed. So this is where those two had escaped to after they left the Varden…

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**Hmmmmmmm yeah so I'm kinda tired…and I gotta go write a stupid essay!!!! It's due tomorrow…gods, and this chapter was only 2 pages long TT plz don't flame me!**

**Bye (for now)! thanks for reading!**


	4. Soren

**Sorry for the wait, but here's chapter…4…I think…**

**And my parents/sister are all arguing (about me) a few feet away from me sooo…if this chapter sucks it's because I'm pissed off…**

**Daaammit all to hell…(just ignore me)**

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"Ugh, I hoped we wouldn't have to meet again," Jake glared at a blue-haired boy as he leaned against Slate's shoulder.

"You still look as though that dragon of yours has chewed you to bits and spat you back out," the boy, who was clad in expensive-looking dark-navy clothing, sneered in response.

Night clopped into the clearing with Ruzac, Raida and Sirena just as Celia made a move to make sure Jake and the unnamed person wouldn't pick a fight. An icy-blue dragon with serrated scales and near-transparent spikes going down his back crouched behind the kid while keeping an indigo eye trained on Ruzac and the others.

"Soren," Ruzac nodded politely to the snobbish boy who merely rolled his eyes.

"I would imagine someone like you would stay with the Varden just because some dead hag wanted you to," the kid, who was about 13 or so, sighed and gave Ruzac an evil grin as the much older rider rushed forward and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"I dare you to repeat that," he snarled venomously and his grip on Soren's shirtfront tightened considerably.

"Ruzac," Sirena started in a small, frightened voice.

"Well it's true," Soren said innocently to the older teen, "You really should be in Ellesmera, Ruzac. We elves would probably welcome you if _I_ were there."

"Don't get all superior on me," Ruzac growled, "Just because you're from the royal bloodline doesn't mean you can talk to me like that. I'm the reason you can actually protect yourself from sorcerers and magic. Don't forget that."

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of that Ruzac-_ono_," Soren made sure to say the suffix, making the other rider struggle with the urge to punch his face in.

"Why are you here?" Jake growled, "Surely a brat like you should be back at their rich little house with all the servants to do whatever you want."

"I came to greet my old teacher," he smiled a fake smile, "Frost said he sensed another dragon egg near here so he wanted to meet the hatchling."

_Yet she does not seem to acknowledge this child as her rider_, the light-blue dragon rumbled,_ but as a friend._

"Sirena does not have the gedwey ignasia," Ruzac explained.

_I see._

"I'm surprised you found someone in that dumpy little town," Soren said scornfully.

Raida unexpectedly started hissing and the smallest of small puffs of smoke trailed from her nostrils. Her tail lashed back in forth as she roared (as well as a hatchling could) angrily at the boy.

_It doesn't matter where she's from as long as she's my friend!_ The golden lizard's small voice squeaked furiously.

"Wow!! She _TALKS!_" Sirena gasped and grabbed Raida into a crushing hug.

_Of **course** I talk; what do you think I am a rock lizard?_ Her dragon grumbled.

"Aww!!! Ruzac, Ruzac! I want to go to the Varden now! I can because I'm a rider right, right?!" the girl was nearly jumping up and down with a smile plastered on her face.

"N-"

"Yeah, she can," Jake interrupted before his little brother could smash the girl's good mood. Ruzac sent him an annoyed glare.

"Once Raida grows enough I'll take her there," he said.

"Yay!!! Ok, Raida, grow up really big and strong so we can visit Eragon and all the other riders at the Varden!" Sirena beamed, not knowing Eragon was the **only** rider she would probably meet.

_Don't worry, I will,_ Raida nuzzled her friend's arm and purred in the mysterious way dragons purr.

"Hmm…Frost and I have been discussing something for the past few minutes," Soren stated and everyone turned towards him with expressions reading 'What do you want?' in a bored manner.

"We will travel with you and Jade and monitor Sirena's training," he finished and everyone just stared.

"She's my pupil," Ruzac growled.

"She's not a property," Soren sniffed and the older rider scowled, knowing it was true and he didn't want to push the fact.

"But she's still my student and _I_ am responsible for tutoring her," he declared.

"Hmph, still doesn't mean I can't watch her training," Soren said.

Ruzac sighed; he couldn't win against the kid. It was a losing battle.

"Fine, you can come with us," he snorted, "but," he held up his finger to prove the point, "if I tell you to do something I expect you to do it without question."

"Alright," Soren's lips adopted a curved smile and his eyes sparkled with plans for causing trouble for his old mentor.

This was going to be a looong trip…

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**Ok, so I'm still angry at my mom/sister since they obviously hate me (my Dad's being nice – gods he's the only person in my family that I can talk to…) since they're calling me annoying/frustrating because I don't like to go shopping with them and stuff…Aargh my family's so fucked up compared to my friends' ('scuse my language in these Author's Notes)**

**Ahaha, I love the name Soren (I have another character named Soren in one of my fictionpress stories...Yazzi's read it :) arigatou (thank you) for reading it, my friend!**

**Thank you for reading, and special thanks to CarmelBoost for reviewing every single chapter. Waiii Yazzi-kun you're the best :) have a cookie**


	5. Carvahall Ho!

"We go right."

"No, we go left."

"I'm very sure we go right."

"If we go left, we take a shortcut."

"I don't care, we're going right."

"Left."

"Right."

"Left!"

"Right!"

"Left!!"

"Ri-ugh, fine, I'm not arguing with a brat like you."

During the past few hours, Ruzac and Soren had gotten themselves lost in a very rocky mountain range named the Spine. Sirena walked quietly behind them with Raida perched on her shoulder as the two riders argued over which trail to take: the left or the right one.

"Well, if I must remind you, I received top grades during the duration of my navigation training," Soren sniffed scornfully at Ruzac.

"And I've been through these mountains before," the oldest rider in the group said in a matter-of-fact like tone.

_There's a town up ahead, why not go straight?_ Frost asked as he and Jade drifted along above the travelers.

_It's in a valley…hmmm, there must have been a fire – it still looks like they're trying to rebuild some of their homes_, Jade added.

_We should go look!_ Raida finished with a vast amount of curiosity in her voice.

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"Carvahall…" Ruzac murmured as he read a wooden sign posted at the front of the town, "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"It's beyond me," Soren answered, "Shall we look around? There seems to be an outdoor market not far from the shops."

As soon as his ex-student said that, Ruzac saw an array of tents, stalls and masses of people about a half-mile or so away from the main buildings.

"Ruzac, Ruzac! Let's go! I wanna see it!" Sirena begged excitedly as she tugged at her mentor's sleeve.

"Alright, but do not say _anything_ about you being a rider until we are sure this town is friendly with the Varden," he said and the girl sped off towards the tents before he could say another word.

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"Carvahall….Carvahall, Carvahall, Carvahall…" Ruzac murmured as he leaned against a large rock near a stall that sold all kinds of flowers. He tried to remember why the town's name was so familiar but failed.

He watched as a young couple passed by the florist and stopped to buy two dark-pink roses. The young man handed one of the blossoms to his lover while they both walked away, holding hands, and disappeared into the crowds. A small – but bright – gleam caught Ruzac's eye and he looked back over to the flower stall to see a single rose that was separated from all the others. It had a dark-green stem with large thorns that were evenly spaced – probably by magic. Of course, that wasn't what caught Ruzac's attention.

The rose's petals were what had caused the metallic shine in the sunlight. They were pale silver, just like Angele, Ane's sword. Ruzac felt sorry for the poor blossom since it was the only one of its kind among dozens of red, yellow, blue or white flowers. He stood up and made a rushed path over to the florist's stand.

"Aah, and what can I get for you on this fine day?" the man in charge of the small shop asked, "Perhaps a flower for a lucky girl?"

"In a way, yes, but I've had my eyes on that silver rose there," Ruzac said a bit hurriedly before anyone else came to buy the flower, "How much is it?"

"Aah, I can see you have good taste in flowers," the man grinned, "'tis 450 crowns."

_450 CROWNS?! RUZAC, ARE YOU __**CRAZY**_ His conscience screamed.

_I thought I got rid of you long ago…_ "I'll take it," Ruzac answered and handed over the money.

He walked back over to the boulder and crouched down closer to the ground. Putting his hand to the ground, Ruzac incited a spell.

"Deloi," he muttered the single word for 'earth'.

A small patch of grass, about as wide as Ruzac's hand, began to ripple like water. It stayed that way for several minutes until a small shining spike of silver metal protruded from the grass. Ruzac used magic to come up out of the ground and it soon shaped itself into a beautiful vase with intricate designs wrapping around the rim. He summoned some water from the hole in the ground and filled the vase with it so the rose would not dry out.

Ruzac placed the vase on the ground next to himself and stood up, leaning against the rock again. His black eyes roamed over the crowds of people until a strangely-familiar head of brunette hair caught his eye.

_It can't be…_

The person turned their head and the boy's chocolate-brown eyes widened in disbelief as well.

_Eragon._

"Ruzac?" Eragon asked in amazement as he walked over to his fellow rider.

"Eragon," Ruzac said guardedly. He had barely talked to him after Ane's funeral, so they were both wary of each other.

"What are you doing here?" the 'Shadeslayer' asked.

"Student ran off," Ruzac sighed and Eragon nodded in understanding, "How about you?"

"I have some time off since I'm done being "Master-Eragon" so I came to see some of my old friends."

"And _how_ do you know these people, may I ask?"

"I _lived_ here!" Eragon almost yelled, "You know that!"

"Uh-_huh_…" _So that was why Carvahall sounded familiar…_Ruzac thought, _I wonder if Ane has ever been here._

"Ruzac!" another familiar voice called and Ruzac's mind, being sidetracked with thinking about Ane, played tricks on him.

"Ane-!" he gasped but stopped himself when he noticed it was Sirena running towards him, "Oh, hey there, Sirena."

"I strongly suggest getting that _thing_ a leash," Soren muttered as he walked after the hyper girl.

"Soren's here?" Eragon asked and looked at Ruzac, "But he's not your student anymore."

"Don't remind me – the brat followed me here," Ruzac said and turned his attention to Sirena who was tugging at his sleeve, "What?"

"There's this one tent that has these really pretty scarves but I don't have any money left!" she said in a rush before seeing Eragon, "Who're _you_?"

Ruzac sighed, knowing what would happen once the girl heard the famous rider's name.

"Eragon," the person in question replied with a warm smile.

Sirena was silent for a moment as her eyes widened so much that Ruzac worried that they pop out of her head. She took a huge breath and…

"Eragon?! You mean _the Eragon_?! Saphira's rider?! Oh my gosh, Ruzac!!! It's Eragon!!!" she squealed quickly all in one breath, and latched onto her mentor's arm.

_Why wasn't she this enthusiastic when she learned __**my**__ name?_ Ruzac pouted in his mind but shrugged it off.

"So, Eragon, where's Saphira?" Ruzac asked, noticing the absence of the famous blue she-dragon.

"She's back at the house," Eragon said and nodded over in the direction of a lonely farm that was built on the outskirts of the town, "Why don't you stay for the night? I doubt this place will have spare rooms tonight since there are many travelers coming through here as of late."

"Sure…," Ruzac agreed slowly, not really _wanting_ to spend the night at his fellow rider's house but he really didn't have much of a choice.

"Yay! This'll be fun!" Sirena beamed and Raida nodded in agreement.

_Joy…this'll be torture…_

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**Oh my gods, everyone, I'm SO sorry that it's taken me so very long to update this story ((cries)) I feel terrible, and you can throw stuff/yell at me if you want. And, because it's been so long, I'm putting up 2 chapters today so the next one will be up soon – I promise.**

**Though, CarmelBoost is the reason this chapter was actually written – those hundreds of demands for chapters helped me convince myself to update the story XD**


	6. Twin Storm

**Eheheh, you see, I've realized I've strayed from my main-plot idea ((cries)) I always do this.**

**Ah well, but, in this chapter a new character will be introduced! ((nod nod)) Exciting. **

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_It's been a while, Ruzac, Jade,_ Saphira greeted the group as they entered Eragon's barn.

The large sapphire-blue she-dragon was curled up in a nest of hay bales. A stunning, deep-blue eye was trained on the cluster of riders as they stopped a few feet in front of her. Jade and Frost had to peek their heads through the door because, if they entered the building, Eragon and the others would be squashed. Raida, of course, was small enough to ride on Sirena's shoulder. The youngest rider had stepped a few paced in front of her friends, admiring the dragon's beautiful blue color.

_It has, about two years if I am not mistaken_, Jade agreed.

"Jade and Frost can stay in the barn," Eragon said, "I don't think Cadoc or Snowfire will mind."

Ruzac saw the two horses wiggle their ears towards Frost and Jade, not minding the presence of the two adult dragons that would be quite capable of eating them. Raida jumped off of Sirena's shoulder and over to a couple of hay bales where a smaller nest-like structure had been made but Saphira nudged her away with her tail, signifying that the spot was already taken.

"Who sleeps there?" Sirena asked but noticed that Eragon and the others had left without her noticing.

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It was nighttime. Everyone had gone to sleep except for one dark-eyed rider.

Ruzac sat outside, having escaped from Eragon's house to the forest and climbed up to the top of the highest tree so that he could observe the town of Carvahall as light flickered off and on in houses, the pub and a few late-closing shops. Puffs of smoke rose up from every chimney, signaling that everyone's fireplaces were lit.

The dark-haired rider's breath came out in small clouds of foggy mist as his black eyes scanned the horizon. Spikes, which were the tops of the Spine's mountains, looked like teeth that were barely-visible against the dark-blue night sky.

Standing up, Ruzac clenched his long black coat's fabric closer to his body as he tried to keep himself warm. The atmosphere was frigid and the occasional gusts of wind weren't helping, either. Just when he was about to climb down to the forest floor, a loud buzzing pounded in his head, causing him to loose his footing, and Ruzac found himself falling instead of climbing down from the tree. With an agonizing _**thud,**_ Ruzac's spine connected with the hard ground.

"Ugh," he gasped and sat up, wincing as his back cracked in a dozen different places, "What was that…?"

A low growl reached his ears and Ruzac turned his head to see a dark-furred, wolfish-looking dog-creature crouched low to the ground and snarling. Its golden-yellow eyes gleamed dangerously and saliva dribbled over inch-long fangs and down the animal's chin.

"Oh…," Ruzac paled and slowly stood up; he would be better off standing if the beast decided to attack.

"Who're you?" the canine spat, it's voice disgusted and gravelly.

"I see, a werewolf," Ruzac muttered quietly and replied, "My name is Ruzac. Who, may I ask, are you?"

"I am the guardian of this forest," the werewolf snarled, "Grimjaw Jaggedfang. If you're looking for firewood or prey I suggest you leave before I decide to kill you."

"Prey or wood is not what I am here for, I assure you," Ruzac said, "I was simply observing the town."

"An honest one, aren't ya?" Grimjaw smirked and sat on his haunches, visibly more relaxed, "You're a rider, I can tell that much, so why have you stopped at such a small, lonely town?"

"I am visiting an old friend," the dark-eyed rider answered, "My student and I am leaving in the morning."

The ferocious-looking wolf was still for a while and seemed to ponder on something. Just before Ruzac was about to go back to the house, Grimjaw spoke.

"There will be a twin storm tomorrow," he said gravely, "one of the worst you've ever encountered. Though it is not a normal storm, not one of rain or wind, but of fire and treachery. I encourage you to keep your eyes open, for even more enemies than ever before will lurk in the shadows of whatever path you travel."

He stood up, shaking his shaggy dark-silver fur, and padded off into the darkness of the forest. Large gouges were left in the ground where his claws had been – they were the only evidence that Grimjaw Jaggedfang had been there.

A bit shaken by the canine's prophetic warning, Ruzac hurried back to the barn and house to check to make sure that Sirena, Soren, Raida, Jade, Frost, Saphira and even Eragon were still safe and sound. He sank down into a chair that sat near the corner of the bedroom and thought over what had just happened.

_I wonder why he told me_, Ruzac thought, _after all, I did not know him until tonight. And why, I wonder, is there a werewolf near Carvahall? They are supposed to live very far to the east, with the Hadrac Desert between them and here._

Such thoughts frolicked through his mind for the rest of the night, depriving him of sleep. When the first tendrils of the sun's warm rays of light appeared, Ruzac glanced out of the bedroom's window to see a horrifying sight before him.

Two dragons, one black and one white, circled over the small clump of Carvahall's buildings, spewing flames from their mouths as their riders shot magic down at the shops and houses.

"_There will be a twin storm tomorrow, one of the worst you have ever encountered. Though it is not a normal storm, not one of rain or wind, but of fire."_

"So this is what he meant," Ruzac breathed as he recalled Grimjaw's words.

Leaping out of the chair and to Eragon's mattress, Ruzac harshly awoke his fellow rider. Eragon's deep-brown eyes blazed in tired annoyance.

"Ruzac, what-!?" he started.

"Look outside, it'll explain itself," Ruzac growled desperately and dragged the brunette over to the window.

Eragon's face was that of pure horror when he saw the roofs of buildings blazing with black and white flames. He immediately pulled on a jacket and followed Ruzac down to the barn, making sure that they did not disrupt the two younger riders.

Once they were at the barn, Ruzac stopped, seeing a familiar face.

"I was going to introduce you to him earlier but he wasn't here," Eragon started but was interrupted.

"Good morning, Ruzac-san," Grimjaw flashed a toothy smile. (1)

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"Maris, think he'll be here soon?" a white-haired boy perched on the back of a pitch-black dragon asked his sibling.

"If he's still the same as he was when we all lived in Ceris, then I'm sure he'll be here any second, Kane," the girl with long black hair replied, an evil smirk hinting at her lips as she gripped one of the spikes on the back of her pure-white dragon.

Her fiery-red eyes were trained on Eragon's barn while her brother's azure orbs watched warily from behind. A how could be heard and a figure, followed by one blue and one violet dragon, raced out from the building.

"Looks like he's come," the young woman grinned.

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(1) **– san (a Japanese suffix that you add to an acquaintance's name). **

**I have decided that Grimjaw Jaggedfang will use Japanese suffixes ((nod nod)) because I wanted to make up a "werewolf language" and I just thought "-san" was a cool suffix and didn't want to come up with a different one. I'll use Japanese, by the way, since I'm way too lazy to come up with my own language ((nods again)) though I might throw in a few made-up words here and there.**

**I hope you all liked these two newest chapters! Oh, and I know you're gonna hate me for this, but I start STAR testing (or CAT9 or something like that) so...uh...eheheh…It might take a while for me to update again…? ((runs)) don't kill me!! Please!!! Oh, and it shall be torture because it will be testing me on European, Egyptian and U.S.A history – I was never taught European/Egyptian history!!!! The reason is because I've been moving from state-to-state because of my dad's job so…the schools never got around to teaching me Europe/Egypt history ((sob))**

**Oh well :D I'll live, of course! 'tis not the end of the world!**


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